Savage: `Every game is like a cup final'

ROBBIE SAVAGE has claimed that the players will now have to take the full blame if Birmingham City are relegated from the Premiership, admitting: "Every game is now like a cup final." (writes JOHN CURTIS).

ROBBIE SAVAGE has claimed that the players will now have to take the full blame if Birmingham City are relegated from the Premiership, admitting: "Every game is now like a cup final." (writes JOHN CURTIS).

Savage had expressed concern about the depth of the squad at the turn of the New Year and was full of praise for the way the board have allowed manager Steve Bruce to since bring in half a dozen signings during the transfer window.

But the Welsh international believes that means the current squad have to shoulder total responsibility if Blues fail to hold onto their top-flight status. City will be looking to improve on a run of just one point from the last seven matches when they host Liverpool today.

Said Savage: "What we can't complain about is that Birmingham City - the board, the manager - have given it their best shot. The manager has been allowed to spend. He's bought in some fantastic play-ers, the board have shown their commitment to staying in the Premiership - and now it's up to us.

"If we go down now, it's the players' fault because we're not good enough but we've just got to keep going.

"The lads here have got a fantastic spirit and every game from now until the end of the season is a cup final for us."